The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-22
TWO WOMEN FROM INDIA
An Interesting Account of Their Expe-
rience. in Doing Missionary Work.
in Educating the Women of India, and
the Progress That Has Been Made


The mass meeting of the Women's Missionary
Society, at Roberts Park M. E. Church, last
evening, was presided over by Mrs Anna Bags.
who introduced. as the speakers of the evening"
two ladies who have been engaged in missionary
work at Lucknow, India, Miss Isabella Thoburn
the sister of the well-known Indian missionary,
DR.. Thoburn, and Miss Phoebe Rowe, Eura-
sian-that is, born of an English father and an
Asiatic mother. The meeting opened with an
earnest prayer by Mrs Kelly.
Miss Thoburn, the first missionary OF the soci-
ETY. to that country, said India was not coun-
try, but an empire of many countries, and many
races and languages Lucknow has 100000
inhabitants; it is / 100 miles from Bombay. 700
fromo Calcutta, and is approached by
railway from both directions. One-ffth of
the population is Mohammedan and four-ffths
of Hindoo faiths. The Mohammedans are more
prominent in the affairs of the city than the
Hindoos. Missionary work was begun in Luck
now soon after the mutlny. There are now
three missions there-one of the Church of Eng
land, one of the English Wesleyans, and the one
representing the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Miss Thoburn. who went to India in 1870 said
before she arrived there, and she then detailed
the diff cuties of ramona and mahulla work.
Ramona work is missionary labor with the
women in their apartments, whore they are
kept secluded. and mahulla work is the name
for the work done with the lower classes of
women-those who labor and may be
met with upon the streets or ir
the villages. Occasionally Mohammedan
women of the better class can read and some
times write. Hindoo women hardly ever can
read unless they have been taught by their
husbands, which is rare. A Mohammedan wom-
an and two daughters came to Miss Thoburn
soon after her arrival and began to be instruct
IN Christian doctrine The missionary W,
called away for a time, and on return foun
these women were in court. The men-foks hal
consented to having them receive instruction
under the idea that there was some pecuniary
benefit to be derived from it. Finding there was
none they began to threaten the women The
publicity of this trial aroused the preiudices of
| the Mohammedans Of the city that those of
| that faith would have nothing to do with the
missionaries. The mother and her two daughters
| left Lucknow, and Miss Thoburn never saw them
| again. They doubtless suffered persecution and
| bad treatment she heard afterward that the
mother and one of the daughters had died. Be-
| fore this beginning had been made in teaching
in the houses of Hindoo families, when the tele-
| graph brought the news from Calcutta, seven
hundred miles away, that native woman there
had been baptized as Christian. When this
was heard in Lucknow, the men drew up reso-
lutions very politely worded. for they are always
| polite in that country, saying they expected
| their women to ne civilized and enlightened but
objected to having Christians made OF them.
| But the work was afterwards resumed, and in
| spite of the many difficulties and discourage
| mentS, has greatly grown.
Miss Thoburn said work was brought to her
hand she had not thought of-the education of
thn OplS Hhoy I'D
to-day the school that began with few pupils has
an enrolment of 125 girls who came from all over
| northern India Girls beginning to require
a higher education in India. In this school they
are given high school education. but some
aspire to college education. There is opening
| I'D large field to women in medical work, and
there IS great ambition among the girls of
| India to become doctors. There is money lying
doctors, but they find work more lucrative in
America and Canada, and do not go to India.
Miss Rowe then sung in Hindostanee a song
with strange and mournful cadence. She said
it was hymn, the refrain OF which, translated
was, Il will keep Christ in my heart. 1 will
| hold Him in my heart and obey Him." Miss
Rowe then spoke briefly. She has a voice Of
| pathetic tenderness, with smoothness and
modulation that made her English softer and
more beautiful than one could believe possible.
She has been IN this country but six weeks, and
| her present trip is the first she has
ever taken from the land of her birth.
She started from India with Miss Nickerson a
missionary in broken health, who coming
home. hoping a change would restore herhealth.
Miss Nlckerson, however. died on shipboard and
was buried in the Gulf of Aden leaving her at
tendant to come on to this country alone. Miss
Rowe gave her testimony as to the difficulty of
entering some of the homes of Hindoo women.
She had been asked to visit a family, and while
sitting in a courtyard was taken by little girl
through mistake, into the women's department
of another house. The house so entered
had to be thoroughly, washed and
ota {hn inv, hold h.I
been polluted because of her entering
it. Sometimes. when teaching. the female mis-
sionary is not allowed to touch the learner, the
book being dropped from ner hand to that of
the learner or laid upon the floor. There is a
class of women in India allowed to walk the
streets covered up from head to foot with large
white veil. Sometimes these women will stop
and listen to the missionaries Bible women.
Two years ago Brahmin offered house if the
M issionaries would teach in it-and that conces
sion from caste, all-powerful in India, was
thought to be great victory for Christianity.
Some of the best workers are from those who
are outcasts.
Miss Rowe sung song in Sauskrit. the refrain
of which is ''Sing the name of Jesus" eve dc
not sing it much to women, said the missionary
but when learned pundit comes whom we wish
to win we sing it. Do not think that all oul
singing is in a minor key. We have some very
joyful tunes"
The services closed with benediction by DR.
Gilbert.
There was quiet gathering, yesterday after
| noon, at the reception given by Mrs. James E
Gilbert to these two lady missionaries at tn,
Meridian-street Church parsonage. Miss Tho
burn has been in India fifteen years. and boil
intend soon to return to make it their permanent
home.
Now Is the Trying Time.
This is the season, this kind of weather, il
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is death. Remember. in this connection, tina
Hales Honey of Horehound and Tar, as a spe
cifc for coughs and colds is without rival il
the world. For the sake of health and life, for
get not this. Sold by all druggists.